Just Business

Chapter Eight: David

"We'll do it," Marcia said, her hands gripped in the fabric of her plaid skirt. David watched her hands, still marvelling at how he could see all of her up close, not just a figure in the distance of his bar or a small square on a screen. She was tucked into his side in living, breathing technicolour, their leads bent together so they could both be seen on her computer's camera. It was intoxicating, distracting insanity. Although he wouldn't change it for anything.

"Excellent," Candice exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I'll send over the e-contracts as soon as we get off the call. Be sure to get them back to me by the end of today."

"Will do," David promised, "I had a guy come in last night, by the way. He said it looks like there was once a door connecting the two shops, and it was a pretty slapdash job filling it in. So it should actually be really easy to reopen that gap and get something nice put in."

"Perfect," Candice said, scribbling notes.

"And I spoke to a lawyer who can figure out the finances. Allow us to take payments for each other and mixed bills and put offers on and such without us making it one business legally. Then we can part ways easily when it's all done," Marcia added.

"Wow, you two are super on it. I love to see it. Saves me a lot of work! Now, before we start the interview proper, have you two given any thought to your story?"

"Our story?" David asked.

"Your narrative. For most people it's the truth, just a bit cherry picked and polished. Playing up the right bits. It's the angle to make people root for you. Now, you both have solid stories. David Suwan, son of immigrants working to make his new business work in a cut throat marker. Marcia Turner, small town girl shouldering the burden of a family legacy and trying to make it her own. They're both compelling, but they're separate. Together who are you?"

Candice leant back, offering the floor to them.

"Friends?" Marcia offered. Candice raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Best friends?"

"How? Why? What about this friendship should draw me in and make me care?" Candice paused, gaze flicking between them. "Have you considered fake dating?"

"No," both answered at once.

"It's a small town," Marcia explained. "Someone would call our bluff too quickly. We're already going to have some work convincing everybody we had planned to merge our businesses."

"And my Mum would never forgive me," David added on a more personal note.

"Fair enough. We'll aim for will-they-won't-they instead. That could be just as engaging."

"Why don't we just keep it simple?" David suggested. "I moved to Challyton not knowing anybody. As soon as I moved in, Marcia came over to introduce herself, seeing as we're next to each other. She helped me get settled, get to know the locals. We always joked about how our mail would get delivered to the wrong place because we had basically the same address. Eventually we started doing some of our paperwork together for simplicity's sake. It was all behind the scenes, so none of the customers knew. From there we did more and more together until we applied to the show together, not thinking we'd get in. When we did we merged the businesses as we'd been talking about doing for months. That explains to our regulars what happened, and sets us up as plucky underdogs for your story."

Candice tapped her pointed white nails on her desk, considering. She was not taking notes for the first time since the call had started. David felt Marcia's breath hitch next to him, and he had the urge to take her hand in his for comfort. The logical part of his brain stopped him, rationalising that this action could only stress her out more. That was the last thing he wanted.